Facilities

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field

An extremely generous gift from the Griffin family named the football stadium in honor of Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. a life-long Gator supporter and loyal fan of Gator Athletics.

Aside from seating 88,548 avid Gator fans, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is the location for many athletic facilities:

• Ben Hill Griffin South End Zone Complex
• Ben Hill Griffin Stadium West Side
  • Harold W. Ashley Administrative Offices
  • Lemerand Football Offices
• Ben Hill Griffin Stadium West Side Skybox Tower
  • Recently reconstructed the West Side Skybox Tower is the main entrance for the Bull Gator Deck on the second level with seating for 348 including handicap accessible seating
  • Media and Press Deck on the third level with 200 working press seats and six TV/Radio Booths
  • Champions Club on the fifth floor with 2930 seats with luxury amenities and an expansive handicap accessible seating deck
  • Presidents Deck (with 290 seats) and suites on the sixth floor for the visiting Athletic Director, Marketing and Promotions department, Gator Boosters, Inc. and 30 Bull Gator suites
  • 32 Bull Gator Suites on the 7th floor

The recent stadium expansion project was made possible thanks to an extraordinary group of Gators who asked how they could help and then did. A large wall plaque in the Skybox Tower Lobby honors this very special group.

• Ben Hill Griffin Stadium North End Zone
  • Jerry J. Chicone, Sr. Gator Booster Offices:
    The Chicone Gator Booster Office Facility is the result of a generous gift from Jerry J. Chicone, Sr. in 1994. Located on the second floor of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, this beautiful facility houses the Gator Booster staff offices and the Gene Ellenson Board Room.
    • Gene Ellenson Board Room
    • Gator Booster Staff Offices
    • F Club Letterwinner Room:
      This facility is a showplace for sports paraphernalia from many years of dedicated Gator student-athletes. Encircling the walls of this facility are showcases and framed items depicting historic moments from all the Gator sports.
  • Holloway Touchdown Terrace
• Historical Time Line of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field
  • April 16, 1930 - construction begins on the original Florida Field site
  • October 27, 1930 - construction completed on what is now the lower half of the current stadium - seating capacity for 21,769
  • October 13, 1934 - Florida Field dedicated to the memory of servicemen who died in World War I
  • December 16, 1949 - plans drawn to add 11.200 more seats to the west stands bringing total seating capacity to 40,116
  • September 23, 1950 - the first night game is played at Florida Field versus The Citadel
  • December 1965 - construction begins now on the east side stands adding 10,000 and temporary bleachers are added to the south end zone bringing the total seating capacity to 62,800
  • August 1982 - skybox tower, press box, athletic training center and south end zone construction completed bringing seat capacity to 72,000
  • Dedication ceremony of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field in honor of Ben Hill Griffin, Jr.
  • September 1991 - new north end zone addition complete with a seating capacity of 83,000. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is now one of the eight largest on-campus collegiate football stadiums in the nation and the largest in the state of Florida.
  • August 1998 - Daktronics LED Video Board is put in the SEZ and monitors are added underneath the North and South end zone mezzanines. Renovation of the South End Zone athletic complex bringing the total square footage to 51,000.
  • May 14, 2001 - a $55 million dollar renovation, built without state monies, is completed thanks to a very generous group of Gators, honored by a large wall plaque in the West Side Skybox Tower Lobby. Renovations include the existing press area and 28 luxury suites. Additions include 2900 chairback seats added to the new level dubbed the 'Champions Club' and addition of 28 luxury suites.
  • November 29, 2003 - North South Drive is renamed Gale Lemerand Drive in honor of L. Gale Lemerand. The street is completely reconstructed (and beautified) to accommodate the renovations to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium during the recent renovation.